Community Cooks: Thousands of cookies make Christmas Eve services

Saturday

RiverTree Church in Jackson Township serves more than 4,000 homemade cookies to guests during a half-dozen Christmas Eve services.

JACKSON TWP. Kathy Specht has been a member of RiverTree Church for 28 years, and has served the congregation in some capacity for 26 years.

The joy of baking and sharing thousands of cookies with folks during the Christmas season is a special tradition that the church has honored for two decades, according to Specht, the church's director of operations.

The RiverTree in Jackson campus, 7373 Portage St. NW, has a half-dozen Christmas Eve services throughout the holiday season, explained Specht.

"Over the past 20 years, we have enjoyed the tradition of inviting our church family to bring home-baked cookies to the services," said Specht.

More than 4,000 cookies are typically brought in and enjoyed by the numerous guests and visitors who attend the six services, Specht said. Her Maple Walnut Cookies are one of the many favorites that have been shared with the church visitors.

Holiday dish

Favorite Christmas song: "White Christmas"

Favorite holiday movie: "It's a Wonderful Life"

Favorite holiday memory: Family relationships and time at church serving people at Christmastime.

Would you rather give or receive a gift? Give. I enjoy choosing a gift for someone and seeing the joy on their face when they open it.

What do you do to make the holiday special? For the last 15 years, our family has adopted a Stark County family for Christmas. We do this anonymously.

Directions:1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.2. Combine butter, sugars, eggs, flavoring, and salt and beat until just combined. Add flours, 1 cup at a time. If dough is sticky to the touch, add more self-rising flour in 1/4-cup increments until dough is smooth. Stir in the walnuts.3. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop dough onto a baking sheet. 4. Bake in center of oven 10-13 minutes, until cookies are puffy and beginning to turn tan. Remove from oven, transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.5. In the meanwhile, mix icing ingredients until texture is smooth and thick. Add more milk or sugar to achieve a creamy texture. Ice the cookies.

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies. Store in an airtight container.

STEVEN M. GRAZIER

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